Robert Ferguson Article

There is an article over at he jsonline site where Ferguson displays the fact that he is completely delusional as to his status on the team and within the league. His attitude is rather startling! Good think we drafted Murphy, becaues ol' #89 is soon to be gone after this one. What a moron.

Ferguson has failed to catch on
But wide receiver says, 'I'm better than I've ever been'
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Dec. 21, 2005
Green Bay - First, Robert Ferguson was called for pass interference on a comeback route. Later he dropped a sure touchdown pass from Brett Favre.

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When Green Bay's embarrassing 48-3 loss to Baltimore had finally ended Monday night, Ferguson's line read like this: one catch, two yards, zero impact. In this, what Ferguson expected to be his breakout year, he continued to break hearts.

"Am I pretty bummed? No, I don't get bummed," Ferguson said. "I'm trying not to drive myself crazy thinking about things I can't change. It is what it is. People are going to say what they say, so be it.

"I've got the talent so I'm not going to get down on myself. I'm not bummed about the season at all. Right now, I'm better than I've ever been."

If that's the case, it might be time for the Packers to move on without Ferguson.

Ferguson, who moved into the starting lineup in Week 2 after Javon Walker tore his right ACL, has been the definition of pedestrian. His 27 receptions rank fifth on the team. His 366 receiving yards rank third. And his three touchdowns are tied for second.

Those numbers aren't exactly what the Packers look for in a No. 2 receiver.

While Ferguson has fumbled away his big chance, Miami's Chris Chambers - the player the Packers passed on to take Ferguson - continues to star. Over the last four games alone, Chambers has 33 catches for 394 yards and four touchdowns. The way Ferguson's year is going, he might not match those numbers this entire season.

The Packers are currently paying for countless sins.

But the selection of Ferguson over Chambers continues to be among the most painful.

Back in 2001, Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf took Ferguson in the second round with the 41st overall pick. Chambers, who played at the University of Wisconsin, was still on the board and lasted until Miami took him with the 52nd overall pick.

Ferguson, who attended Texas A&M, had just one year of major college experience at the time. Chambers was a freak physically, and even though he played at a predominantly running school, he set several career receiving records.

Still, Wolf went with Ferguson. And to this day, that choice continues to haunt the Packers.

Ferguson is one of the toughest players on Green Bay's roster and has been a special teams standout in past seasons. That makes it so surprising that he shows so little fight for some of Favre's passes.

Ferguson was at least partially responsible for an interception in each of Green Bay's first four games this season. The most egregious came at Carolina, where Ferguson couldn't control a perfectly thrown slant pass, cornerback Ken Lucas ripped the ball from him and Favre dressed him down on national television.

Ferguson has made precious few big plays. His speed is no better than average. And he hasn't been enough of a threat to draw the constant double teams away from Donald Driver.

After five years in the league, it's become pretty apparent that Ferguson is no better than a No. 3 or 4 receiver - even though he refuses to admit it.

"I think I'm one of the best, yeah, without a doubt," Ferguson said. "That's the only thing that matters is what I think. It don't matter what you think or what anyone else thinks. I'm the one going out there and I have to have confidence in myself to make those plays.

"I'm primed and ready to be a star in this league. I've been through it all so far. So something good's got to happen now."

In theory, if something good was going to happen to Ferguson's career, it would have happened by now.

Oh, he's shown flashes. Ferguson had a pair of touchdown receptions in a 2003 playoff loss at Philadelphia. And he had 105 yards and two scores against Minnesota in a Sunday night game in 2002.

But performances like that have been the exception, not the norm. In the 56 career regular season games Ferguson has been active, he has caught four passes or more just 12 times (21.4%). Ferguson has eclipsed 50 receiving yards only 12 times. And he has just 11 career touchdowns.

Chambers, meanwhile, has become one of the elite receivers in the game despite playing with riff-raff quarterbacks such as Jay Fiedler, A.J. Feeley, Gus Frerotte and Sage Rosenfels. This year alone, Chambers has 72 catches for 992 yards and nine TDs.

"I know what I can do. I know the talent I have," Ferguson said. "It's just a matter of me showing it and I admit, I haven't done that.

"But in order to be consistent week-in and week-out, it's not just me. People don't understand that I don't control that. It comes from a lot of other things besides myself. I have to be on the same page with the quarterback, the coaches have to call plays for me to get the ball and if you're not a focal point of the offense, there's no way you're going to get the ball. It's not just me, me, me.

"When Javon went down, people were like, 'You got to step up, step up.' I was like, 'You're talking to the wrong person. I don't control the offense.' Honestly, since he went down, I haven't run a route that he ran. So I'll just keep grinding and whatever happens will happen."

Ferguson hasn't been the only receiver in the Class of 2001 to flop. Chicago's David Terrell, the eighth overall pick, Washington's and Philadelphia's Freddie Mitchell (25th) were both busts and are currently out of football. Koren Robinson (ninth) was a disaster in Seattle, but has revived his career in Minnesota.

Washington's Rod Gardner (15th), who later played with Carolina, was out of football before Green Bay signed him on Tuesday.

There were some major stars found in the draft, as well. Cincinnati's Chad Johnson (36th) and Carolina's Steve Smith (74th) rank among the game's top five receivers. Santana Moss (16th), who's now playing in Washington, and Indianapolis' Reggie Wayne (30th) are borderline Pro Bowl selections. And then there's Chambers, who took it personally that Green Bay passed him by and has been making up for it ever since.

Ferguson's career, meanwhile, appears to be at a crossroads. He's done little with his chance this season and the Packers could certainly elect to cut bait this off-season.

Ferguson is signed through 2008 and his salaries for the next three years are $1.4, $1.8 and $2.2 million.

If Green Bay released him, it would be off the hook for that money and only the remainder of Ferguson's signing bonus ($2.1 million) would count against its 2006 salary cap.

"I don't know. I'm not concerned with that right now," Ferguson said. "That's up to the people upstairs. Wherever I'm at, if it's here or wherever, I'm going to have a good year. I'm not scared, I'm not worried or anything like that. Whatever happens, happens.

"I've had a fair shot. But for whatever reason it hasn't worked out and I don't point the finger at anyone but myself for it. It's just about being a realist and not blaming anyone else for it."

The guy just doesn't get it!
He actually thinks he is better than he has ever been.
He should be made to sit in a room by himself and watch his highlight reel of his 2005 season.
I wonder if after a few hours and the projecter didn't start running if he would catch on that he had no highlights.
Take the cap hit and get rid of him!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah no **** When Wolf passed on Chambers I was like huh??? I am as much a Badger fan as I am a Packer fan and Chambers could flat out play. He never have a excelent QB in wisconsin and still produced. So much for the myth that Wolf was the talent guru

That draft my Dad and I had an argument about Chambers. He said that GB should pick Chambers with their #1. I said that we should wait because Chambers will be available for their #2 pick. Chambers was there, available to GB and from out of nowhere Wolf picked Fergy...

Some have argued that Fergy has more talent and will develop into a better WR than Chambers, but it's obvious that those arguments are very wrong. The consolation is that picking Fergy forced Sherman to pick Walker and Walker will be a great player here for a long time.

that was a great post, fergie needs to show up and make some plays. can't wait to go to the game sunday, and scream at #89.

but when i think back to that draft, many had fergie being picked before chris chambers. i wanted gb to draft chambers, but i remember that last season chambers played for WI. Chambers did drop quite a few passes that year. i wonder why wolf chose fergie over chambers. size, speed, the ability to catch the ball w/the hands.

by those standards you would think fergie was the right choice.

let's not forget that donovan darius hit, to me that is what changed fergies game, and wiped away his chances at ever starring in the NFL. Robert Ferguson is just not the same player since that hit. Ferguson has lost his confidence.

Why was Fergie chosen over Chambers? Well, the A&M coach is/was a good friend of Mike Sherman. He bent Sherman's ear on how damn good this kid was and MS ate it hook-line and sinker. Up the chain it went to Wolf who made the final mistake that was selecting the kid.

He showed so much promise in the 2nd and 3rd year...too bad. Either that hit from Darius damaged the kid's grey matter or he just concealed a very complacent nature and work ethic up until he opened his mouth for this article.

Problem is Wolf did not take into consideration that Chambers suffered from a Raw QB in Bollinger and Sorgi. Wide outs from Wisconsin suffer because their reps were traditionally down. Running team all the way then. I think GB if it gets a chance there are three outstanding wideouts that will be available this year in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is also getting a reputation for building great O-lineman and Consistent Wideouts

Problem is Wolf did not take into consideration that Chambers suffered from a Raw QB in Bollinger and Sorgi. Wide outs from Wisconsin suffer because their reps were traditionally down. Running team all the way then. I think GB if it gets a chance there are three outstanding wideouts that will be available this year in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is also getting a reputation for building great O-lineman and Consistent Wideouts

I like Owen Daniels as well. In fact, if the Packers should select him in the draft, his transition would be seamless......both teams tend to forget they have a tight end for games at a crack!! I pity any tight end that is brought in as long as Rossley/Sherman have a hand in the offensive scheme!!

I thought one of his worst moments came in the Bears game just before half on the interception returned 90 some yards.
He just stood there like a fan that had run on the field instead of going up with the defender and trying to knock the ball away and THEN didn't tackle the guy after the INT. RESULT: GAME CHANGING PLAY.
The ball was up in the air long enough to drink a cup of coffee and it wasn't like he was blocked or the defender just stepped in front of him or anything.
He just STOOD there and watched. What has happened to the mentality that once the ball is in the air "i'ts mine"?
Now I know the guy took a bad lick but that type of play doesn't reflect fear from a prior hit but just no want to or character.

I think it is only fair to realize that all of the other GMs had passed on Chambers to that point too.

Besides if we look at some other WR that went ahead of him they have not exactly panned out so far.
For example:

~~ Chicago picked David Terrell with the eighth overall pick -- out of football,
~~ Seattle had the 9th pick and chose Koren Robinson, who was a disaster in Seattle, but has revived his career in Minnesota this season,
~~ Washington's Rod Gardner was the 15th player chosen, who later played with Carolina and was out of football before Green Bay signed him on Tuesday.
~~ Philadelphia picked Freddie Mitchell with the 25th pick of the 1st Round -- currently out of football.

Drafting is an imperfect art (not a science).

Since Wolf has claimed Ferguson as his pick at the time of the draft and has stuck to the story all of these years -- can we please stop with blaming that draft (based on rumors) that it was Sherman's.

Bruce....I heard from a pretty reliable source that Sherman was the one that picked Tony Mandarich. There was quite a discussion in the war room some others wanted Barry Sanders but Sherm convinced them to take Mandarich.

Bruce....I heard from a pretty reliable source that Sherman was the one that picked Tony Mandarich. There was quite a discussion in the war room some others wanted Barry Sanders but Sherm convinced them to take Mandarich.

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I'm not sure if you're just trying to be funny, or what - but Sherman wasn't even with the Packers in '89..he was at Texas A&M. He didn't even get to the NFL until '97 when he became the Packers TE coach. I'm sure you're just taking a jab at Pack66 but I thought I'd mention this in the unlikely case that you're serious.

Bruce....I heard from a pretty reliable source that Sherman was the one that picked Tony Mandarich. There was quite a discussion in the war room some others wanted Barry Sanders but Sherm convinced them to take Mandarich.

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I heard from the same source that the year before in 1988 he pretty much screwed the Falcons too. They wanted to take Neil Smith with the top pick in the draft (picked #2 instead by the chiefs and was an All Pro 6 times) when Sherman called and convinced them to take Aundray Bruce instead. Bruce played 41 NFL games over the next 11 years and recorded only 32 sacks.

I still think the Warren Commision missed the boat when they didn't follow up on those Sherman in Texas leads.

Great article recapping Ferguson's lack luster career and pretty much what I've been saying about the guy for the past two years on this and other forums. It's good to see people are finally seeing Ferguson for what he is. Of course that doesn't help the Pack any because they're stuck w/ him now; I doubt anyone would consider trading for him after his dismal performance this season? All the other negitives aside, how does a team over look and draft a WR that is blind in one eye? No doubt, ever team has it's share of misses in the draft, but three over the last 5 years would have really made a difference for the pack: Chambers instead of Fergy, Chris Gamble instead of A. Carroll, and Dan Morgan instead of J. Reynolds :roll:

Fergie is afraid to go over the middle. He won't do anything to break up a ball he can't catch. Once you lose your courage, you're done as a receiver in this game. He gets hurt too often. He can't get seperation, therefore he can't get open, and he's got bad hands.

The choice of Ferguson of Chambers was just another indication of how Wolf was losing it in his last years as GM. He stopped doing what he was really good at and started taking shots instead of making the right picks. The game simply passed Wolf by.